Annika sat across from Fin in the cheery pub, and studied him closely as he sat sipping his ale contentedly. Their food had come swiftly, and sat enticingly in front of them. Chicken sandwiches stacked thicker than the average man could fit in his mouth, along with a bowl filled with apples, grapes, and berries.

She hadn’t spoken since Fin had guided her by the hand into the pub, and had waited calmly while he spoke to the serving wench and placed their order.

At long last Fin turned to stare at her, a small smile on his face.

“You thought I was running from you?”

Annika’s dulled anger flared up once again.

“I haven’t heard from you since the day before yesterday, and then I hear from my maid that you are leaving the castle grounds with a bag.”

“So you dressed as a peasant and followed me?” Fin asked slowly, his smile replaced with a look of curiosity.

“Nonsense. I was already dressed this way. Since the arrest of my brother I’ve decided to stay at my estate in Austice. I sent out a decoy carriage then disguised myself in case any of his men decided to seek revenge,” she snapped.

“Then you finding me in the crowded street was a happy coincidence?” His dubious tone was not lost on Annika, who folded her arms and crossed her legs in response. It was a wonder no one realized she was nobility- no peasant woman would dare to look so bold.

“You walked down the main street of Austice and took only one right. You then continued your way down towards the sea, I happen to have to take a similar path to get to my estate.” She shifted then, realizing that a couple men at a nearby table were glancing at her curiously.

“If you aren’t running away then what are you doing?” Annika demanded while lowering her voice and leaning her elbows on the table.

“His majesty asked me to take care of some business for him. I will be returning to my duties in a week.” Fin’s expression became shuttered then, and it was clear to Annika their last encounter had resurfaced in his mind.

“You don’t have to tell me,” she retorted while picking up her sandwich and taking a very unladylike bite out of it.

“Very well,” he countered smoothly while picking up the sandwich and biting into it himself.

The two ate without sparing another word and when they finished, Fin paid the bill. He held the door open for her, and once they faced each other in the bright street, looked properly discouraged by their pending farewell.

“Guess I will see you back at the castle sometime…” Fin’s right toe turned to leave when Annika edged closer to him.

“Why don’t you just stay with me?” she blurted out suddenly, her eyes darting around them at the people who strode by them.

“I-er-uh, is that… appropriate?” He blushed while lowering his voice even further.

“Not at all, but I have minimal staff that are overpaid not to wag their tongues or comment. There have been several instances where they have been tested, and that they have all proven themselves. Come. Don’t pay for a tavern with bedbugs, just… at least come so that we might talk a bit more.” Without realizing she had done it, Annika was clasping Fin’s hand in both of her own.

Looking down at the hold, Fin blinked several times as though in disbelief before lifting his eyes once again to her.

“As long as it won’t cause problems for you,” he agreed, his cheeks beginning to deepen in color.

Annika smiled radiantly as Fin laced his fingers through her own. Stepping forward shyly, he directed their steps further down the road towards the water.

“Do you even know where you’re going?” she asked after the giddiness of him holding her hand had worn off.

“Not a clue,” he announced, suddenly stopping in his tracks, making Annika laugh.

“Alright then, come with me.”

As the couple walked, they noticed that no one spared them a second glance, as they appeared like any other unremarkable young peasant couple. It baffled Fin because to him, the graceful way Annika moved seemed like a dead giveaway that she was on another level entirely.

“Another right here.” Annika steered him towards another side street, working them further south into the city. Fin frowned when he saw at the end of the road there was nothing but the rocky wall which the city was built into.

“Do you live in a cave?” he speculated dryly.

“Aren’t you the court jester, hm? Just follow my lead.” Annika gave him a wry smile before tugging him along.

They passed by quaint gardens with flowers and vegetables all lovingly tended to by the residents of the city. The homes with their rust colored tile roofs grew shorter and shorter, until they became quaint small cottages rather than tall narrow houses. Hidden just before the street ended by the cliff, was another quieter road that continued down the hill.

At first Fin wasn’t sure what it was that was so strange about the road, until he realized that not a single home faced the street. There was neither a window, nor a hole that could provide a view, and its cobbled road was worn and broken in several spots. The air of still desolation chilled Fin in a way he didn’t fully understand, and was about to say as much to Annika as they drew even closer to the sea, when she tugged him towards a road he would have once again missed were it not for her guidance.

It was a dirt lane that sloped down into a stoney beach that was completely hidden by the strange setting of the homes and cliff. As they turned down the road, Annika glanced around them carefully, then picked up her skirts and began the journey down. Fin noted that while the road did slant down until they were at the water level, there was a stone archway marking the rise of another hill on the other end of the beach.

“Where is your estate?” Fin asked as the road levelled out beneath his feet and he stared out over the horizon. Merchant ships dotting the waters appeared peaceful to him from such a distance.

“Just around the bend of the hill.” She panted slightly before shooting him an excited smile.

Fin joined her in climbing what she claimed was the final hill, admiring the rising view and privacy as he went, and then he rounded the corner and stopped dead in his tracks.

A courtyard large enough to fit several carriages, and a grand regal manor stood before him that was carved into the cliff with stone balconies jutting out of several open doors and rooms. Gauzy curtains fluttered in the fresh sea breeze, while roses of various colors climbed the walls by the base. A fountain stood in the centre of the courtyard with various mythical sea creatures wrapped around a large rock where at its top sat a mermaid. The water that flooded out came from somewhere within the rock the mermaid sat upon, and Fin would’ve taken longer to admire and examine the piece of art before he noticed two lines of servant come down the front steps.

Fin released her Annika’s hand then, and instead grasped the sack over his shoulder with a firm gulp.

While living in the castle it had been easy to forget Annika was a Viscountess when they both lived under the roof of the king. The extraordinary home and wealth of servants in front of him however brought back the reality all too vividly.

“Come Fin. Remember, not a single soul amongst them will breathe a word.” She gave him a reassuring nod before turning back to her home.

As Annika approached her servants, she stripped off the covering for her hair, and straightened her posture.

Clara appeared from within the open front doors that rose in peaks and had stained glass windows glittering like jewels in the sun.

“Why am I arriving before the carriage?” Annika demanded without saying anything about Fin who was approaching the lines of servants cautiously. The serving staff curtsied dutifully to Annika as she passed creating an impressive wave as she moved, but as the redhead drifted by, they stared through him as though he weren’t there.

“Troivackians as you anticipated,” Clara answered briefly before glancing over Annika’s shoulder and raising a thin eyebrow. She then turned back to her mistress with a masked expression.

“He is to be my guest. Please prepare his room,” Annika declared forcefully as she spared only a glance over her shoulder at him.

“Yes, Viscountess.” Clara waved her hand at two serving women who marched back into the keep immediately. “Will his room be next to yours my Lady?”

Fin was quite certain there was amusement glittering in the maid’s eyes.

“Yes,” Annika snapped, her cheeks turning crimson. “I’m going to freshen up and change. Have the solar prepared, I want to hear what happened.”

“Of course my Lady, would you like a change of clothes prepared for Mr…?” Clara looked at Fin pointedly, the good humored smile was not lost on the redhead.

“Mr. Wit. Very well, now one more word from you and I will deduct your pay,” Annika added churlishly.

Clara made the wise decision to curtsy submissively before rising and gesturing towards the redhead to follow her. Annika had already swept through the doors and disappeared within the keep. Leaving the witch, the maid, and majority of her serving staff in the wake of her whirlwind arrival.

If he didn’t know better, Fin would’ve thought that Annika was being shy because of him, but surely the composed, confident woman he knew wouldn’t feel such things… right?

*

Standing with his shoulder propped against the open balcony doorway, Fin gazed out over the sea pensively. His arms and ankles were crossed as he tried not to think about the room behind him that felt too lavish to be touched. There were deep blue and purple couches and chairs, a four poster bed with crisp white linens, a fireplace with a magnificent stone mantle, and he was scared to examine any further. At least the view he didn’t feel guilty partaking in.

A soft knock at the door had him turn around, and he found himself staring at Annika, her hair brushed until shining, wearing a white flowing gown with short sleeves. A gold bracelet on her wrist and gold dangling from her ears. The dress was thin, and unlike anything a noble woman of Daxaria would dare to wear.

“You… You look…”

“Ah. When I’m here I… I dress as the Troivackian nobility do during the summer. We tend to not worry about thick clothing or small amounts of leg.” Annika kicked out her right foot to reveal a slit in the dress that climbed up until a place a little above and over from her knee.

Fin swallowed with great difficulty.

“You look quite different yourself.” Annika nodded at the fine cream colored tunic Fin wore with the gold thread embroidered down its front. “As annoying as Clara can be, she proves herself useful more often than not.”

He nodded. Focusing on anything other than the slit in the dress was going to be dangerous for him. Then again, they were completely alone, in a room with nothing-

“Shall we go hear what happened to my carriage?” Annika asked quietly as though sensing the shift in mood.

Fin worked on clearing his throat, but only managed to bob his head again before gesturing towards the door.

Smiling nervously, the Viscountess exited before him, leaving the redhead to say a silent prayer to the Goddess that no harm would come from his risky decision to share the same roof as Annika Jenoure.

*

Sitting in the solar, Fin waited patiently as the serving staff brought in a pitcher of water, and a tray of fruit before Clara began to speak.

“Your decoy carriage left as planned, with Zuma disguised as you in a cloak, and me following in the carriage behind. We were perhaps about halfway down the main road when the Troivackians attacked. They killed Zuma, and attempted to interrogate the footmen, but fortunately Captain Antonio arrived as per the arrangement, and arrested them. We will hear if there is any luck in the interrogation over the next few days.”

Annika didn’t move or say a word as she stared at the fruit in front of her and periodically tapped the finger that rested against her thigh.

“Were any of them men my brother arrived with?”

“Sir Wickfield was amongst them, but other than him, the rest of the men appeared to be peasantry.”

“Where are they keeping them?”

“In the magistrate’s cells. We won’t risk having them anywhere near the castle or Lord Piereva.”

Annika didn’t say anything as she continued mulling over the situation tentatively.

“Pardon me, Mistress, but are we sure Mr… Wit here should be hearing these details?” Clara asked while sliding her gaze over to Fin for only a moment.

“Everyone will have heard about this, it makes no difference if he knows as well.” Annika dismissed the thought easily. Though she was still lost in her own thoughts as she turned the situation over and over in her mind.

“The Knights should interrogate anyone who saw the attackers moving through the streets before the attack, and try to figure out from witnesses where they originated from.” She leaned back into the sofa with her arms folded.

No one said anything for a long while, and all that Fin could think was that it was a mistake joining her in her own home, when he needed to be searching Austice for the Troivackian soldiers. The men who attacked Annika’s carriage were likely from the very group he was supposed to be searching for.

“I think I may head back into town for a bit and peruse around. I’ve not really seen the city since moving here.”

Both women looked at him before sharing a quick glance.

“Very well, I’ll walk you back to your room.” Annika stood at the same time as Clara, unnerving Fin even more somehow.

The trio walked back through the winding narrow halls without uttering a word to one another. The sound of the crashing waves far beneath them, and the call of gulls were the only sounds thrumming through the keep.

At long last, Clara curtsied and excused herself when they reached what looked to be her own chamber.

Feeling increasingly sheepish, Fin walked beside Annika and wracked his brain for something to say. Fortunately, she saved him the trouble.

“Should we talk about our argument? Strangely we haven’t discussed that at all…” She pretended to be casually looking out the windows as they walked, but Fin could see the tension in her forehead.

“We haven’t. To be perfectly honest I was just happy getting to see you so suddenly that I hadn’t thought of it since we met this afternoon.”

Annika’s cheeks deepened in color as they neared their respective rooms.

“I can’t always tell you everything.” She turned to face him. Staring squarely up into his bright blue eyes that seemed even more brilliant from being by the sea.

“I can’t always go on blind faith,” Fin countered with equal sincerity.

The two shared a long suffering silence.

“Where does that leave us then?” Annika asked tightly, her heart skipping several beats.

Unsure he had the ideal answer to such a question, Fin opened his mouth to reply, only to have the sound of incoming footsteps had him ushering her into the nearest chamber door.

“Where that leaves us is with each other. Faults and all. I agreed to try this, Annika. I know I have a ways to go to be worthwhile to you as anything more than a...a…” He couldn’t find the words. Instead, he cleared his throat and looked away. “Regardless, perhaps we could try to meet each other halfway?”

Annika fidgeted slightly before she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

“We’re in it together, Fin. Good or bad, that’s what we said when this started.” She looked up at him, her gaze so uncharacteristically vulnerable that all other thoughts left Fin’s head.

Reaching out, he drew her into himself, and once she was in his arms again, there really was no way they could argue against finding a middle ground. Especially when part of the middle ground involved crisp white linens and a room all to themselves.